Freelancing has been a way to make my career work for me, I have been able to stay engaged with variety and balance, keep learning and pivot in the field across different disciplines.It’s a note to myself to keep exploring, follow interests and to develop my process.

I try to combine my adventurous side with my working life by bringing these values into my practice. I will run through a few aspects that fire me up about working in this way and principles taken from adventures; staying lightweight, exploring unknown territory, traveling with a for a perspective.

‘Lightweight’

Riding across Cambodia with minimal possessions

Staying Lightweight has been a big part of my career and has become a core part of my process and work methodologies. Opening up my work to accommodate multiple work channels and directions has allowed the flexibility to pivot and change and to invest my time in multiple projects. This simple policy of spreading my energy and capacity across multiple areas at one given time has increased my focus, productivity, excitement and overview on the projects I am working on.

‘New perspectives’

Sharing designs across different industries

Travel typically opens the mind and allows for new perspectives and insights. In work this also applies that by traveling between different places physically and culturally it can allow for the same shift in perspective. Traveling to an unknown culture will challenge your previous assumptions, this is also the same with company cultures, as they often vary drastically. It also enforces a vulnerability and creates space for an open mind from both parties. It allows the ability to bring back different ideas from different experiences and use these ideas to optimise how you work.

When exploring ideas in the creative process it is valuable to open a project up to different cultures and people. I know it matches the cliche but it's often ignored, shifting focus from the destination to the journey will leave space for innovation and exploration. A clear sense of mission and intent is important but also allowing time to wonder, explore will enrich that direction and experience. This often requires trust and openness in the process and to build upon an idea.

‘Lightweight tools’

learning grasshopper at Loop.ph studio

Staying lightweight with the tools you use is about knowing which one is the best for the job. Working across different companies and industries I have learnt new softwares multiple times. It has given me deep knowledge in a few tools but has given me an overview of many. It allows you to use appropriate tool for the job and gives the ability to speak the language to an expert.